The Moments in Between
by PCGirl
Summary: A collection of mini-one shots (single scenes) including John and Natalie that could have played out between scenes we saw on the show.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney. I'm just using them for a little fun.

A/N: Welp-I did say 'never say never' right? This is going to be a little different. It's going to be a collection of scenes (mini-one shots, I suppose) that I think are missing from the show. Scenes between known Jolie scenes that should have played out on our tv and never did. I've got 3 others in my head to write-up, but if you think of more then let me known and I can see what I can muster up. Except for this one all the others are 2010 and later Jolie. I'll put a summary up of when the scene should take place. Just so you have a ball park of what happened right before this scene. Until next time-PCGirl.

* * *

 **Timeline** **:** Takes place after January 19, 2009 episode after Jessica tells Natalie that she let Tess come out after Nash's death to kill her. And John had to break up a fight between Blair and Marty, who are both swooning over him.

John walked into Rodi's and was surprised at the sight. He hadn't been able to sleep so he thought he'd come here and work on the books or maybe inventory. Anything to get his mind off the battle of Marty and Blair. Someone above must have thought it would be hilarious to have him walk into his bar to see Natalie leaning over the table to make a shot.

"Stop arching your back, that's amateur stuff," he said in a low whisper as he leaned towards her ear and watched the goosebumps appear on her arms.

Natalie jumped at hearing his voice so close to her. Turning around she immediately smiled at him being here, "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Where's Banks?"

"Asleep, I suppose," she shrugged. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd sneak out and come here until Jeff kicked me out."

"Sleep bringing you nightmares?" he questioned, remembering how she was after Hayes and being rescued from the pit. She'd wake up in a cold panic for weeks unless the bathroom light was left on. He wondered if being trapped in that room had brought the same reaction back to the surface.

"Not tonight. Some stuff came out with Jess and I'm struggling."

John walked over and grabbed them each a beer, handing hers to her he took a sip, "How about you talk and I'll listen? Like old times."

Natalie smiled, John was always such a good listener. That's why she always valued their friendship-one that seemed to have dissipated the past year, but maybe they could get it back-at least to the friendship level. "She admitted she let Tess out because she couldn't kill me herself."

John watched her eyes darken at the repeating of the confession, "Your sister loves you-I know that, and deep down you know that too. I think at times-in the heat of hurt and betrayal we say things we don't mean. Or think things that if we were in our right mind we wouldn't ever think."

"So she gets a pass just because she has DID?" she asked, getting angry with the thought of John being on Jessica's side in all of this.

"No, but she has to live with that knowledge. And she probably told you today to try and get some sort of forgiveness from you."

"Me forgive her?" she laughed.

"It doesn't have to be right away, Natalie," he said as he looked at the floor quietly for a moment. "Besides-there's someone else that needs your forgiveness too."

"Who's that?" she asked and watched as he looked up slowly and she suddenly realized he was asking for himself. "You? For what?"

"For not believing Banks when he came to me with that letter. I've never liked the guy-but I should have known you were in danger. Especially when you didn't come back when Rex was shot," he said as he began walking around the pool table and picked up the eight ball, rubbing it between his hands a few times before letting it roll back into the table.

"I could have saved you a lot of anguish if I'd just gotten over my own hurt at you being with Jared."

"I'm not a damsel needing rescuing, John. Besides-I think you have more than enough of those right now," she said with a slight smirk on her face.

John chuffed at the comment, "Tell me about it. I don't know how I even got into this mess."

"Well, I'll let you figure it out," she said as she put the cue up and went for her purse. "Thanks for letting me vent."

"Any time," he smiled and watched her walk back out into the January air-enjoying the few minutes they had of being friends once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Timeline:** After 6/30/2010 episode where Natalie has just become a forensic tech and helps John as he tries to find Cole and Hannah.

* * *

She could feel his eyes on her as they drove. She always could-it had been one of those things where they always knew when the other was in the room-time apart had not changed any of that. Glancing up from her notes she looked over to see his eyes dart back to the road, "You know-if you don't keep your eyes on the road, you're going to have an accident."

"What are you talking about?" asked John, a smirk appearing on his face from being caught.

"You've had your eyes on me more than the road, McBain. If there's something you want to say, then just say it."

John sighed and thought over his words before speaking. This relationship was so new and they both wanted it to work so badly this time that he was scared to treat it like anything but a newborn baby, "I'm just glad you are doing this again-being a forensic tech. It's going to be nice seeing you every day again. And I always knew you'd be a great forensic tech."

Natalie smiled at his words, "I'm glad I get to do this finally. I mean I enjoyed working at BE and doing what I was doing. But this-this is my passion."

She was quiet for a few moments as she stared out at the passing landscape, "You understand why I had to walk away before, right? I'd lost you and I'd lost what I thought was going to be my career. If I had stayed, we would have made our way back to each other before we were ready."

John nodded, "That's why I let you-because I knew I couldn't give you what you deserved back then. So, I figured you'd find yourself and eventually come back to me. Never saw Banks coming into the picture until it was too late," he said and got quiet. "You know-I never liked the guy."

"I didn't notice," she said with a side eye and then smiled.

"But he made you happy again. That's all I've ever wanted for you, Natalie."

"I wonder if he'd lived where we would be now. Mitch coming back threw you and me back into each other's orbits. Whether we were ready for it at the time or not. And it always seems like once we're in each other's orbits-."

"We find our way back to each other," he finished what she was thinking. "What I said at the airport was true-you belong with me. Would we have made it back to each other yet? Probably not-but we're here now-together," he said as he reached over and grabbed her hand. "Things happen for a reason-we can't see the reason until after it's all said and done. So why don't we just sit back and enjoy the ride?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Timeline:** After 11/21/2011 episode when Natalie and John get Liam back from Brody. On the flight home.

* * *

John looked over to see Natalie staring at their sleeping son in his arms. _Their._ He smiled again at the fact that this little boy was his again. He couldn't be happier at the thought that Liam was conceived in a moment of love and passion instead of one of drunken desperation.

"Try and sleep, Natalie. I promise he's not going anywhere-I'll wake you when we get closer to landing."

She smiled as she ran a finger down Liam's cheek and watched as he immediately began sucking on the pacifier harder, "I can't-I just keep thinking of everyone that knew and kept it from us. Marty. Victor. Brody."

"And the only one we can really yell at is Brody. I know how he feels-losing a kid that he thought was his. This is what-the third time that's happened to him."

Natalie nodded in agreement at the number, "I think someone else knew."

"Who?" he asked, unsure of who else may have been privy to the knowledge of Liam's paternity.

"Gigi," she said as she sat up some and began vocalizing what she'd been thinking. "I read over the report on the tape recorder John-her fingerprints were on the buttons. I always wondered if she knew it was the end-if she knew that she was going to die and it was truly a blank tape she would leave Rex and Shane a message. Tell them she loved them or who locked her in there. Something.

"But she didn't-because she knew what we didn't and wanted us to hear it for ourselves. If she had gotten out of that room that night," she said and wiped the tears that suddenly nipped at her eyes. "We would have known so much earlier-and you would have so many more memories with your son."

John nodded-he'd questioned the tape back then. The fact that it was blank made him think it wasn't the original, but he'd never pushed it with Brody or Natalie. Maybe if he had the outcome would have been different than today.

"I never did apologize to her. I went over to the Buenos Dias the day after the shooting and got distracted-I guess Tea was right."

"About what?"

"You think you have forever to make it right-and then suddenly you don't," he sighed and ran his hand over Liam's hair. "I'm sorry for firing her the way I did. She was being a good friend to you. I get that now."

"She really was. I couldn't talk to my sister or my best friend about what I did. Or my fears that Liam was Brody's. I needed someone to confide in and she was there."

John took her hand in his, "I'm here now, Natalie-and I'll always listen."

"Thanks," she smiled and then laid her head on his shoulder to try and rest some as they made their way back home as a family.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Originally said I had 4 of these in mind. This is the last one of those, but I have two more to write out.

 **Timeline:** After 1/12/12 episode (finale) once John and Natalie both make it back to the apartment.

* * *

John walked into his apartment and smiled at the sight before him-Natalie moving between an opened bag on the bed and a drawer of the dresser that was being filled again with her clothes. He loved the idea of her living here again-the space was always so quiet and empty without her.

He gave a cough and watched as she turned to look at him and began smiling, "Hey-where's Liam?"

"Spending time with Grandma Roxy. I thought she needed a pick me up with Fraternity Row going off today and then Rex leaving town as well."

John nodded, having received a couple texts from Natalie throughout out the day giving him insight of what her day had included. "I was thinking-we need to start looking into a house."

"A house?" she asked, remembering how they brought it up once-long before the wedding even-but nothing ever came of it.

"Yeah, a house," he said as he walked over towards her and couldn't help but give her a kiss. "This place is going to get really small really fast with a toddler in here. Plus, I think he probably needs better nutrition than takeout."

Natalie laughed, "That's true. So what are you thinking?"

"Something not too far from the station-maybe halfway between there and Llanfair. We could have a basement and move the pool table from Rodi's there-get a new one for Rodi's."

Natalie shook her head, "No. No basement. I made a promise to myself that I'd never spend more time in one of those than necessary."

John gave a nod at understanding her fear, "Ok. No basement. Maybe a bonus room then for the pool table."

"And a backyard for Liam to play in. This is going to sound silly, but none of the places that Roxy and I lived in really had a backyard for me to run around in."

"Not silly at all," he said as he heart hurt for young Natalie once again. "So how did your story end?" he asked.

Natalie smiled, "You were right. Everyone got their happy ending," she said and leaned up to press her lips to his.


	5. Chapter 5

**Timeline:** After 1/26/2011 episode when they bring Liam home from the hospital.

Natalie sat there on the edge of the bed in John's room staring at the ring in her hand. How could a simple piece of metal bring forth all this hurt and pain to not be wearing it. She'd only had it on for what felt like a few minutes so how could having it off already make her defeated.

She wasn't Natalie McBain due to Marty's interuption of the ceremony so she didn't deserve to wear it.

Hearing John come out of the bathroom she looked at him, and couldn't help or hide the tears in her eyes.

"Hey-what's wrong?" he asked, fear in his voice that something was wrong with the baby.

Natalie shook her head, knowing what he was thinking. "It's stupid," she said and closed her hand around the ring.

"What is?" he asked and watched her opened her hand up to see the wedding band there.

Natalie watched as he stuffed his hand in his pocket and pulled out his as well, then taking the two and slipping her ring inside of his.

"They'll be back on our fingers before you know it," he said softly as he pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"It seems so silly. It's just a piece of metal. Like it's just a piece of paper that didn't get signed that night. It doesn't change how I feel about you."

"Or me about you," he said and then pulled her away and made sure their eyes connected before speaking, "My vows weren't just words. They were a promise, Natalie. You should know by now I put a lot of truth if I promise you something."

Natalie nodded, "I know."

"So I'm going to promise you this now-these rings will be back on our fingers before you know it. And once they are they will never come off."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: This one may be my favorite. Love me some old school Johnny Mac. More bits are coming-at least 3 more, I think. Anyone have suggestions for others shoot them my way. Until next time-PCGirl.

* * *

 **Timeline:** After October 1, 2003, when Jolie are on the way to the pool tournament in Philly

* * *

John McBain kept his eyes on the road as they drove to Philly-a silence enveloping him and his new-what did he call her? A mark? A means to the end of this case? He always tried to think of whoever he was working with as expendible-not an actual person with a story or feelings of their own.

With all the hurt he'd had in her personal life it was better that way. Safer that way. Not just for him, but for the other person as well.

"So tell me about yourself," he said, pretending not to have read the file the Bureau had given him. The lost, yet unkown, Buchanan heiress that showed up two years ago to take what was hers. There are details the file never conveys. Not how her personality reminded him of a firecracker and you had to watch out or be severly burned.

Or how her eyes seemed to sparkle when she first met him. And then smoldered when he touched her earlier to try and move her for a better pool shot. The electricity that went through him with that simple touch had awoken a part of him he'd tried to keep buried for the past five years.

He hears her start talking about Atlantic City, asking him of he'd ever been there and he lies, saying just once or twice. Then listening to her start describing the sights, sounds, and smells that he knows all too well. They seem to have so much in common it's scary. Two AC kids who made it out of there after being raised by a single mother. He's not the gambling type, but what are the odds.

He needs to get a message back to the Bureau quick-that this case needed to be done soon. Because he had a feeling if he stayed any longer than needed there was going to be a bigger problem on his hands than he was willing to take on.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Catching up on 'Moments', and trying to clear out some of my drafts that I store my stories in.

 **Timeline:** After Natalie visits John at his hotel room after Jared's death.

He lays there and hears her moving in the bed again-she usually is such a sound sleeper, barely moves at night. But tonight is different-no matter in her bed at Llanfair or his bed at the hotel she's restless.

It's been hours since he finally got her to try and lay down and he took the couch, but he hasn't slept yet. Because he's listening for her to cry out and get the nerve up to take her in his arms and tell her it's ok. To stop being so damn tough.

He can hear when she reaches out for her husband and finds emptiness-because that's when he hears her whimper for a moment.

John thinks about when it was him she believed was in the morgue on a cold metal tray. Or Cristian, except for Cris there was no body. This is the third time she's gone through this, and this time is definite. This time there is no mistake on identity or unsure hope that a man she's loved is maybe not dead after all.

One can only take so much before they break. And he worries-worries that her breaking point is close and he's not going to be there to stop it from happening. Or he'll get there too late and then have to walk that very fine line as a cop-one only she makes him walk.


	8. Chapter 8

**Timeline:** Sometime after the non-February wedding. This one might be my favorite, and I wish it really had taken place on the show.

* * *

John looked up from the books to see Cristian walking in and over to him, "Hey. Your order should be out in a few."

"Thanks. John, I was sorry to hear about the wedding."

John shook his head, "It is what it is. She kept a pretty big secret from me, Cris."

"And we didn't from her?" he asked and was ready for John to take a swing at him. "Listen-I know it's not my place-."

"No, it's not," he said as he moved the books to the other side to give him a nonverbal cue that the conversation was over.

"We kept my being alive and in prison from her. We said it was for her own good-that it was better to think I was dead than to wait the rest of her life on me getting out."

"Not being dead and passing off someone else's child as mine is a big difference, Cris," he said as he turned back to him and went for a bottle.

"Yeah, it is. I know Natalie-and you do too. She thought you'd chosen Marty over her and made a mistake with Brody. One single mistake. She thought I chose Jenn over her and you know what she did-married Mitch Lawrence."

John scoffed at the comparison, "Still not in the same ballpark."

"The two biggest mistakes she's ever made are sleeping with Brody and marrying Mitch. Whether we want to admit it or not we are both the catalyst that put her down those paths."

"She should have told me. I would have-," he stopped his thoughts and shook his head.

"Natalie forgave us, John. She somehow found it in her heart to forgive the two men she trusted the most. If you get over your ego, I think you can do the same."

"It's more than a bruised ego. It's-."

"Trust. Like I said, we broke her trust before. If you didn't feel the way you felt for her it wouldn't hurt as bad. Remember what she said that first time she saw us outside of Statesville."

 _I don't want to see either of you lying bastards ever again._

"But she did. She was there for you after the plane crash, and there for me during the boxing match."

John didn't say anything, just took another swig of his beer, "It's not that easy."

"I never said it was easy for her to forgive and trust us again. But she has-and I think you can too. Life is short, John-you know that more than anybody. Don't let your ego keep you from your family. They'll be gone before you know it," he said as he food arrived and he walked out of Rodi's, leaving John to his thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I'll get back to _Always_ shortly, but this scene kept speaking to me, and as much as I loved the last week of the show I thought maybe just a smidge more wouldn't hurt.

Timeline: After 1/9/2012 episode, a little more of John's perspective on what all he'd gone through that night.

* * *

John stood in the doorway watching them load Clint Buchanan into the back of the ambulance before heading to the hospital.

John walked back into Llanfair and closed the doors. He should probably head home himself-or maybe he could go by the hospital and sit with Natalie for a bit. He knew Viki would still be in surgery for awhile, and Natalie wasn't going to come back here until she knew she was ok.

He suddenly felt his legs giving out on him and sat down on the bench beneath the steps. Covering his face with his hands he took a few deep breaths and got control of his emotions once again.

God-he could have lost her tonight. Throughout the night his mind had fought to focus on what they taught you are the Bureau-compartmentilize any emotions in order to finish the task. Focus on rescuing the hostage and taking down their captor. He'd done it a thousand other times before-twice with Natalie thanks to Haver and Flynn. But back then was different-that was before he'd admitted his feelings for her-before they had a child together and had been so close to forever.

But this time all he could think of was walking into that church and Mitch shooting Natalie right in front of him. An almost recreation of Caitlyn's death.

Standing back up he paused for a moment before making his way upstairs and to the nursery. Looking down at Liam's peaceful face he felt tears he wasn't expecting go down his cheeks. Wiping them away he sat down in the rocker and just watched his son sleep. He thought how his whole life lived under this roof, and he wasn't going to wait another day before telling them everything.

"Goodnight buddy," he whispered, as he brushed his hair back before giving him a kiss on the temple.

He was halfway down the stairs when he phone rang and he looked to see it was Natalie, "Hey. Your mom ok?"

"She's still in surgery-have they left with my dad yet?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago. I was just checking on Liam before I left. You want me to come sit with you?"

"No, it's ok. I know you are just as tired as I am. And I'm sure there is more policework to be done with the breakout."

"Yeah, I guess I can check in with the department, but I don't want you to be alone."

"I'll be fine, John."

John shook his head, she was nowhere near fine and he knew it. She'd been held at gunpoint by her ex husband, who he was pretty sure was about to rape her when John had arrived, and then came home to find both of her parents unresponsive due to a gunshot and possible heart attack. Sometimes he wished she wasn't so damn stubborn.

"Ok, I probably should talk to both of your parents tomorrow. Let me know when you head that way and we'll meet up."

"Sure. Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, Natalie," he sighed as he hung up the phone before leaving Llanfair. He'd let her be for the night-let her mind have time to process exactly everything they'd been through over the last few hours. But he wasn't going to let another whole day go by without telling her how he still felt about her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Timeline:** After 4/11/11 show when Natalie tears up the sonogram picture and gives John the ring back.

* * *

Natalie let herself into the room thankful it was empty. She'd called back to the station to make sure John was still there so she could get this taken care of. After the breakup before she'd cleaned her stuff out that night-knowing that they were over so it was time to move on.

This time though-this time she truly believed they may still have a chance to work it all out. That was until earlier after she ripped up the picture of Liam's sonogram and gave him back his mother's ring. She dropped her suitcase on the bed and went to her drawer of his dresser to start packing. Opening it she was surprised it was empty, checking the other drawers she noticed his things were still there, but none of hers were.

"What the hell, John?" she muttered as she went towards the closet and found her dresses were missing as well. Hearing a key in the door she jumped and walked out into the living room to see John coming in.

"Can I help you?" he asked, surprised to see her standing in his room.

"I came for my things-thought after earlier if it was better for me to hurry up and get mine and Liam's stuff out of your way."

"Natalie," he sighed. Didn't she understand? She would never be out of his life-not really. It wasn't just the room-it was his whole life. From the moment he first saw her at Crossroads she was ingrained into his brain and then later, once she'd torn down the walls, into his heart. That's why this hurt so much-because as much as he wanted to be angry at her there were so many moments of love that trumped it.

And Liam. He still couldn't explain why he had such a pull to him-why he kept waking up to an empty bed and expecting to find Natalie nursing him in the chair they'd positioned next to his crib.

"I packed it all up and it's down in storage. I meant to get it over to Llanfair earlier-sorry."

"It's ok. What are you doing here anyways? I called the station so this wouldn't happen."

"Oh, yeah. Uhm, Rodi's called and had an emergency so I slipped out the back to run over there and stop by here real quick before heading back to the station. Do you need me to help you load the stuff up?"

"No, I can do it myself," she said as she started for the suitcase and then remembered something. "Oh-I need to look through the mail. I think Liam's birth certificate got sent here."

"No," he said loudly as he stopped her from opening the drawer of the desk they kept important documents in. Realizing his tone he backed off, "I mean yeah-it showed up, but it's packed in the boxes downstairs."

Her hand paused on the handle of the drawer, a slight hurt at his original tone at the thought of her looking for something that didn't even belong to him, despite his name listed on it as the father.

"Sorry-I'll be out of your way in just a minute," she said, turning away and going for the suitcase, hoping her eyes and voice didn't betray her true feelings of walking out of this room and knowing once again it was no longer home.

John said nothing as he watched her close it up and walk out without another word said between them. When he no longer heard her footsteps in the hallway he went to the desk and opened the drawer she had her hand on. Sitting in the chair he felt a feeling of dejavu as he pulled out his mom's ring and placed it back in the box he'd only taken it out of back on Christmas Eve. Snapping the lid closed he set down the box and pulled the piece of paper he hadn't wanted Natalie to see.

Looking at the grainy black and white photo of Liam's profile he felt tears come to his eyes. He'd found Natalie's copy of the sonogram when he was packing up her things-deciding to make a copy of it to keep here before slipping hers in the box. Glad that he did now, since his copy was in bits of paper in the bottom of his office waste basket. Slipping the picture back in the desk he placed the ring box on top of it.

This might be all he had physically of the family he longed for, but he knew they were still in his heart. And despite his best efforts they would never leave.


End file.
